Garment press



Patented .Oct. 193 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES C. LEDBETTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

, THE PROSPERITY COMPANY, INC., OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GARMENT rnnss Application filed. August 5, 1924, Serial No. 730,131. Renewed November 21, 1928.

This invention relates to garment pressing machines and particularly to improvements in operating mechanism therefor; and an object is to produce improvements on the construction shown in my co-pending application Serial-Number 723,740 filed July 2, 1924.

An object of the invention is to produce a garment press or ironing machine having new and improved operating mechanism and 1 designed specially to take up little space and at the same time afford wide opening jaw motion to produce extended visibility of the work and pressing jaws. Incidently an object of the invention is to produce an operating mechanism for ironing machines especially adapted to cuff and neck band work in laundries and the like. While I have chosen a V-type cuff and neck band shirt jaw machine such as ordinarily used for ironing cuffs and neck bands, the mechanism of this invention is also adapted to machines having largesize flat press jaws both for ordinary tailors pressing work or large fiat piece laundry work.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical form of the invention and it is understood that certain changes may be made'in construction and operation without depart ngfrom the scope of the invention.

tion of the tion.

Figure 2 shows aside view of the machlne in closed position, the jaws having reached pressing alignment, and shows the position of parts just prior to the production of high compression between the pressing jaw members.

Figure 3 illustrates.afragmentary view of 13 the lower end of the frame with the-compression pedal in pressure position and other parts removed for clearness in illustration.

Referring furtherto the drawing for a more detailed description of the invention,

--' there is shown a press frame pedestal 1O sup porting the operating mechanism, and the frame may-carry'a table 11 provided with a pressing machine in open posicentral slot- 12. in which the press jaw op-- erating parts oscillate or swing back 'and forth. Cooperating pressing members or Figure 1 shows a longitudinal vertical secjaws such as a buck 14 and head 15 are respectivelj anchored on the upper extremity of uprigit standards 16 and 17. The buck and head pressing members or jaws 14 and 15 are heated by any suitable means such as by steam or electricity, but the heating means is omitted for clearncss in illustration and description. The working faces 18 0f the two jaws may be formed on concentric arcs which facilitates the closely spaced double y swinging motion of the two pressing meming position while the standard 16 lifts upwardly with great force to produce jaw compression.

The other standard or press head arm or lever 17, carrying the head 15, is directed forwardly at each extremit and is pivoted on a pin 21 anchored in t e frame. Both standards 16 and 17 are arranged substantially vertical and parallel; and the upper ends thereof are disposed in the slot 12 of the table. The upper ends of th'e'standards swing towards each other to produce jaw alignment; they swing outwardly to expose the work for its removal and replacement; and preferably one or the other of the standards moveslongitudinally to effect jaw approach and compression after a lateral closing motion has taken place.

, Simple operating mechanism is employed for swinging the standards 16' and 17, and to this end a closing pedal 23 or other actuating means is pivoted in the frame on a pin 24. This pedal 23 is made integral with an upper bell crank arm 25 and a lower bell crank arm 26 and is in general T-shaped. 4 The upper arm 25 carries a rigid pin 27 which floats freely in a slot 28 made in the lower end of the buck standard 16. The spaced pin and slot connections 19--20 and 2728 afford a free movement of the upright 16 in the frame 10. The lower arm 26 likewise carries a rigid pin 29 which floats freely in aslot made in the lower end of the standard 17. The slots 28 and 30 in the standards permit the pedal pins 27 and 29 to float easily therein without binding. When the pedal 23 is moved upwardly to Figure 1 position, it is to be observed that the lower ends of the standards are swung together with resulting parting'motion' of the press jaws 14 and 15 above the table 11. The table completely surrounds the jaws to accommodate the work held in the press. Conversely, when the pedal 23 is down, Figure 2 position, it is to be observed that the lower swingable standard ends are poised in spaced position with resulting jaw alignment. In other words, the opening and closing pedal 23 simply acts to swing the lower ends of the standards to and fro with resulting opposite travel at the upper ends of the standards.

The head carrying standard 17 is preferably curved inwardly at the bottom to place the pin 24 centrally between the standard pins 27 and 29 thus making a well balanced smoothly working mechanism.

A compression pedal 32 is likewise pivoted on the common fulcrum pin 24 and maybe made with a weight 33 on the rear. end thereof to hold the pedal 32 normally inupwardly limited position; and this pedal carries an ntegral upstanding bell crank arm 34 provided with a roller 35 which rolls along a camend 36 made on the lower end of one of the jaw standards, in this case the buck standard 16. The approach of the roller 35 to the cam 36 is gradual thereby affording a powerful camming action which acts to lift upwardly on the standard 16 thereby thrustmg the lower jaw member 14 upwardly with .a powerful force against the pressing face of the jaw member 15; and the slottedconstruction 20 and 28 in the standard 16 permitsthe roller to accomplish this lifting action.

A kick-off pedal 38 is provided with a weighted body whereby it normally stands in upwardly limited position; it 1s fulcrumed on a pin 39 in the frame 10. Thispeda-l is made with a two-stage or stepped kick-off head in the form of a lug 40 adapted to first impingeth'ejcompression pedal 32 to hft 1tupwardly thereby disengaging the'roller 35 from the cam 36, whereupon the weight, of the jaw 14 and standard 16 causes th'e'press ing machine to quickly release from the Work. The kick-off pedal 38 is next provided with a lower stepped lug 41 which is disposed in ali ent with the pedal 23 whereby this pe al is next engaged subsequently to engagementjof the pedal 32, thereby causing said opening and closing pedal 23 to be thrown'upwardly to that position 'shown in Figure 1,

' whichcauses the standards 16 and 17 to be swung openly in-hoi izontal jaw parting motion. After the operator removes his foot from the kick-off pedal 38, the weight thereof causes it to again assume normal position as shown in the drawings ready for the next operation. j

In operation, work is spreadupon the jaw 14 whereupon the closing-pedal 23 is .de-

view with its higher lug 40 in position ready to thrust upwardly on the pedal 32 to initiate press opening movement. The bell crank arm 34 of the compression pedal stands at a slight angle, as shown in Figure v3, when the jaws are under compression. In fact, the roller 35 passes somewhat beyond the alignment center of thefloating pin 27- and frame pin 24, the action of whichaccomplishes a toggle lock, so to speak, whereby the press is caused to stand under compression for any required period, since past center or past alignment position of the roller 35 is effective to hold the buck standard 16 in upwardly pressing position from which the operator opgns the machine by depressing the kick-off pe al. p

A feature of this machine is the double acting jaws and the double horizontal opening and closing motion which is accomplished without wide-angular jaw movement which makes for safety in operation. It is noted that the parting action of the jaws is accomplished with slight clearance, so much so that ones fingers or hands cannot be placed between the jaw pressing surfaces.

Furthermore, no counter-balance welght or springs are employed in this-press construction. The weight of one of the jaws is sufiicient to produce jaw separation to remove compression, and the weight of the jatvs are placed high above thefulcrum centers 19 and '21 which produces an inverted pendulum action causing the machine to be sensitive in opening and closing motion, whichis' to say the standards 16 and 17 operate at the ex--= pense of very'slight efiort'. A further feature relates loose or lost-motion interengaging guide slotand-pin connections or guiding-and-pivoting devices 1920 and 27-28 placed under the plane thereof.

jaws and out of the p These spaced pivots 19 and" work in guide slots 20 and 28 the latter being here shown" as formed in the uprightjstandard or jaw supporting member 16, butthe guide slots.

the, spaced and their fulcrum or pivot pins may otherwise be arranged ,in any suitable manner since the structure illustrated is by way of an example of one embodiment to show the principle of the invention. The p'in and-slot connections afford a loosely fitting and freely floating mount for the upright jaw support in the press frame 10.

It is also seen that a third set of slotted guiding-and-pivoting devices or interengaging slidablc-fulcrum devices 2930 is provided on the lower end of the upright 17 and which is spaced from the similar slidable-fulcrum device 2728. Operating means to close the press jaws and to produce compression is disposed between the lowermost spaced slotted guiding-and-pivoting up-and-down fulcrum-devices 2728 and 29-30, said operating means comprising for example pedal means which laterally swing the jaws into alignment and followed by vertical jaw ap proach to produce compression. The jaws are first aligned before compression occurs and hence the lay of the work on the buck 14 is not disturbed or wrinkled when the pressing members 14 and 15 come together for compression on the work.

fulcrum guiding means or devices are provided, preferably as shown, to accomplish the compound lateral swing and vertical approach floating motion of one of the jaws, in'

this instance the buck 14.

.After compression is attained, the press jaws are locked in closed position by a toggle action because the arm 34 of the pedal means 2332 passes a straight line connecting the pivot centers 27- and 29 and the roller engages the cam surface 36 and positively holds the jaw support 16 to its forced position in its guide slots to maintain jaw compression. Hence the press jaws are looked under compression, and the support-member 16 carried by the spaced guiding-and-pivoting slot devices, which afford the characteristic jaw compound motion aforesaid, constitutes a novel construction which is simple and effective to perform the action described.

It is seen that each swingable upright jaw support 16 and 17 which actuates the jaw or jaws is suitably connected to the press jaws intermediate the ends of the said jaws and therefore bothjaws are open, clear and free at the ends as well as the front so that the work is easily placed on the buck 14 because no obstruction is present to hamper placing the work in the press from the jaw ends or their front edges.

Whether the press jaws are flat, V-shaped, or otherwise designed and formed to accommodate the different kinds of garment pressing and laundry ironing work, the principle of the invention is the same in that the spaced guiding-and-pivoting devices afford a ful crum means which initiate the compound floating lateral and vertical clear-buck action and by which the buck and its work are clearly exposed forwardlyand below the rearwardly swingable head} The members 10, 16 and 17 support the press jaws and the slotted- What I claim is 2- 1. A press comprising in combination, up right s andards swingable in a frame, press jaws carried on the upper ends of the standards, jaw closing means carried in the frame cooperating with the lower ends of the swinging standards to move the press jaws into.

.pressing alignment, and pressure producing means for squeezing the aligned jaws into pressing relation including means to force one standard to move slightly in relation to the other standard.

2. A garment press comprising in combination, upright standards swingable in a frame, press jaws carried on the upper ends of the standards, means carried in the frame cooperating with the lower ends of the swinging standards to move the press jaws into pressing alignment, means cooperating will the lower ends of the standards for drawing the aws together into tight compression, and means acting to first move the jaws apart in separating movement and subsequently swing he standards to produce wide open aw movement.

3. A garment press comprising in combination, upright standards swingable in a frame, press jaws carried on the upper ends of the standards, means carried in the frame cooperating with the lower ends of the swinging standards to move the press jaws into pressing alignment, means for squeezing the aligned jaws in o pressing relation, and a work table above the frame having a slot therein through which the standards swing to and fro to open and close the jaws.

4. A garment press comprising in combination, upright standards swingable in a frame, said frame'being of the small upright vertical type adapted o cuff and neck band ironing work, press aws carried on the upper ends of the standards, said jaws being V- shaped for cuff and neck band ironing work, means carried in the frame cooperating with the lower ends of the swinging standards to move the press jaws into pressing alignment, means for squeezing the ali ned jaws into pressing relation, and kickoff means serving -o release the jaws and throw the standards to open the press. I

5. A pressing machine comprising in combination, aframe, a work table carried thereon, coacting press jaws held above the table and adapted to open with wide visibility, said table provided with a slotted opening, a' standard pivoted in the frame and ex ending through the slot and attached to one of the press jaws to open and close the press, means for swinging the standard in the slot to produce a horizontal jaw parting. ac ion, means for moving the standard vertically to produce high jaw pressure, and jaw releasing and opening means. j

6. A pressing machine comprising in combination, a frame,"'a table supported above the frame, said table provided with a slotted r opening, cooperating pressing jaws above the p table, press standards projecting through the slot in the table and attached to the ,jaws,

means disposed in the frame to swing the standards to and fro in the slot of the table to bring thejaws into alignment, means to press the jaws together, and means for releasing the compression and open the jaws.

7 A pressing machine comprising in combination, a frame, a Work table carried thereon, coacting press jaws held above the table and. adapted to open with wide visibility, said tableprovided with a slotted opening, a

5 standard pivoted in the frame and extending through the slot and attached to one of the press jaws 10 open and close the press, a clos- 1ng pedal by which the standard is pivoted, a compression pedal and roller arrangement camming upwardly against a cam on-the lower extremity of the standard to produce jaw pressure, and a kick-off pedal arranged to first throw off the compression pedal and nextthrowup the closing pedal. A

8. A pressing machine comprising in combination, upright parallel standards, a frame in which the standards are pivotally supported and in which the upper and lower stand-.

ardstravel in opposite directions, a pedal pivoted in the frame and connected with both compression, and means to release the comlower standard ends and adapted to simultaneously swing the slandards to and fro, a

pressing member c'arrie I on each upper standard end, means arranged to longitudinallymove one of the standards to produce pression and subsequently swing the standards to open position.

9. A pressing machine comprising in combination, upright parallel standards, a frame in which the standards are pivotally supported and in which the upper and lower standards travel in opposite directions, a

pedal pivoted in the frame and connected combination, pressing jaws, a vertical standstandards to produce compression, and nreans to release the compression and subi sequently swing the standards to open.position. v Y

10. A pressing machine comprising in ard. fixed to each aw, a frame pivotally supporting each standard in upright position and the lower ends of the standards being spaced apart with one end above the other,

a pedal pivoted between the spaced lower standard .ends and connected to. each standrangedto longitudinally move one of the ard end and adapted to swing bothstandards to open and close the ress, and means to bring the jaws together in tight compression. 11. A pressing machine comprising in combination, pressing jaws, a vertical standard fixed to each aw, a frame pivotally supporting each standarddn upright position and .the lower ends of the standards being spaced apart with one end above the other, a pedal pivoted between the spaced lower standard ends and connected to each standard end and adapted to swing both standards to open and close the press, a cam and roller arrangement cooperating withthe lower end of one standard, a compression pedal driving the cam and roller to thrust through the standard producing high pressure, and a kick-elf pedal to release the thrust and swing the standards opening the press.

12.: pressing machine comprising in combination, pressing jawsfa vertical standard fixed to each aW, a frame pivotally sup-- porting each standard in upright position and the lower ends of the standards being spaced apart with one end above the other, a pedal pivoted between the spaced lower standard 'ends and connected'to each standard end and adapted to swingb'oth standards to open and close the press, a work table under the jaws and having a slotted opening therein upwardly .through which the standards project, said standards swinging toward and from each other in the slot, said table entirely surrounding the jaws, and means to bring the aws together in tight compression.

13. :A press comprising in combination pressing jaws, a verticalstandard reaching upwardly past one jaw and anchored to the top thereof, another standard anchored underneath of the other jaw andextending downwardly parallel to the first standard, a

frame, a-fulcrum pin in the frame pivotally supporting'one standard, another fulcrum supporting the other standard, oneof the said pins being located above the other and one of the standards being shorter than the other and both lower ends of which terminate in spaced relation, a pedal pivoted on the frame, a double bell crank carried on thepedal one of which connectsto one standard end and the other connects to the other standardend, said pedal being adapted to swing the standards to move the jaws into overlapping position, oneof the standards being constructed to move lengthwise as well as swing, and means to execute a powerful lengthwise movement compression.

14. Apressing machine as defined in claim 13 characterized in that the means consistsof thereof to attain aw a compressionrpedal acting vagainst the lengthwise movable standard-to attain said aw compression. v

15. A press as covered in claim 13in which a work table is slotted centrally andthe standards float in the slot and the table spreads over the frame and mechanism.

16. A press comprising two upright standards which swing to and fro, press jaws on the upper ends thereof, a pedal fulcrumed on a fixed pin, arms integral with the pedal connecting with respective standard ends, the pedal movement initiating aforesaid swinging-motion of the standards. means in the said standards adapted to permit jaw aproach after alignment is reached. and power means acting through one of the standards to attain jaw compression. 1

17. A machine as in rlaim 16 characterized in that the power iurans comprises a pedal and means carried by the pedal adaptedto thrust longitudimllly against one of the standards.

18. A machine as in claim 16 characterized in that a table surrounds the standards which float in a slot made in the table.

19. A machine as defined in claim 16 in which the pressing face planes of the jaws are formed on concentric arcs whichpermits relatively small space between the jaws as a sufficient clearance to admit short motion jaw approach and wide jaw horizontal opening movement.

20. A pressing machine comprising in combination, a frame, a pair of vertically disposed parallel press standards, support means by which the standards are pivotally mounted between their ends in the frame which permits the ends of the standards to swing in opposite directions, a press jaw anchored to the upper end of each standard,

one standard made shorter on the lower end than the other standard, and a T-shaped pedal pivoted in the frame between the lower ends of the standards and having parts thereof connected to the lower end of the standards and another part thereof forming a foot piece.

operating press jaws, an upright having its upper end attached to one jaw, a pin and slot connection below the jaws by which the upright is pivotally mounted upon the frame and which permits vertical movement thereof, a member pivoted to the frame and operatively connected to the upright to swing the jaw, and a second member pivoted to the frame concentric with the pivot of the first member'and operatively connected with, the

upright to move the upright vertically and produce jaw compression.

23. In a press, a frame and cooperating press jaws including a press head and buck carried thereby, operating means connected to a jaw to actuate the same; said operating means including a swjngable upright and pivot means therefore below the mid-portion of the upright to mount the upright in the frame for back and forth swinging motion, the upper end of the upright having a short forwardly directed end which is attached to the head, the upright being forwardly directed at its lower end and reaching below the pivot means, actuating means to swing the upright, a pin-and-slot connection being provided between the actuating means and the lower forwardly directed end of the upright, and means to force one jaw against the other to produce jaw compression.

24. A press comprising a press frame, cooperating press jaws, an upright having its upper end attached to one jaw, a pin and slot connection below the jaws by which the upright is pivotally mounted upon the frame and which permits vertical movement thereof, a member pivoted to the frame and operatively connected to the upright to swing the jaw, and a second member pivoted to the frame and operatively engaging the upright to move the upright vertically to produce jaw compression and hold the jaws together.

25. In a press, a frame and cooperating press jaws carried thereon, substantially parallel and movable uprights one of which is straight throughout its length and has its upper end attached to one jaw, and the other upright being projected forwardly at its upper end and attached to the other jaw, fulcrum devices'engaging each upright including a pin and slot connection slidably mounting one upright, an offset portion formed on the lower end ofthe other upright, and operating means engaging the offset portion of the uprightand lower end of the upright having the pin and slot connection to swing the uprights, and means to bodily move the slidably mounted upright to produce pressure between the jaws.

26. A press as defined in claim 25 wherein the operating means and the means to bodily move the upright include concentrically mounted members each provided with a pedal.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES C. LEDBETTER. 

